Car rerailer



Oct. 28, 1947. H. NORDBERG CAR RERAILER Filed'June 17. 1945 r5Sheets-Shet 1 MARI. 515 H- Run (3 I c.- H. NQRDBERG CAR RERAILER FiledJune 1'1, 194:

5 Sheets-Sheet CHARLES H IVORDBERG,

Oct, 28, 1947. c. H, RDBE RG 2,429,942

CAR RERAILER Filed June 17, 1943 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Oct. 28, 1947. c. H.NORDBERG 2,429,942

CAR RERAILER Filed June 17, 1943 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 l OVA/7455l-l-IYO/FOBEFG,

Oct. 28, 1947.

c. H.- NORDBERG CAR RERAILER 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed June 17, 1943Patented Oct. 28, 1947 CAR RERAILER Charles H. Nordberg, ChicagoHeights, Ill., as-

signor to- Pettibone Mulliken Corporation, a corporation of- IllinoisApplication June 17, 1943, Serial No. 491,200

This invention relates to car rerailers or replacers for use in guidinga derailed railroad car wheel back onto the rail,

While rerailers have been known and used for many years they havebeensubject to a number of disadvantages. Some of such devices, designed tobe placed adjacent a rail have proved unsatisfactory because. theylacked suitable means to prevent the. rerailer from tipping and also tokeep it from pulling away from the rail when. the car Wheel is moved onthe device.

Others have been provided with means for clamping the rerailer to therail. Such devices have often been ineffective,- complicated, andsubject. to easy breakage or loss of parts. Moreover, all of. suchdevices lackthe simplicty which will enable the rerailer to bepositioned quickly for operation.

It willbe-realizedthat because of the considerablefinanciallossresulting from tieing upamain railroad line even for.arel'atively. short period of time, there has, long. been. a real demandfor a rerailer of simple construction which. can be quickly placedinoperation and. which will perform its appointed. task. rapidly and.effectively.

The present. invention. has. for its principal ob ject the provision of.such a-rerailer.

Another object. of. the invention resides in'the provision of a rerailerwhichis not provided with parts subject to. breakage or loss ortime-consuming adjustment. j

Still a further object. of the invention is th provision of a rerailerwhich,.while simple in construction and manufacture, is providedwit-hintegral means bearing on both sides of the base of the rail insuch. a. manner as to; prevent tipping and pullingaway fromv the railwhenthe-car wheel is moved onto the device.

These and other objects of the. invention will become more apparent fromthe following description and claims when readin conjunction with theaccompanying. drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the inside rerail'er element constitutinga part ofithe invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of'the inside element shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3. is a top plan view of the outsidererailer element.

Figure 4 isaside elevation of the outside rerailer element shown in.Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a crosssection taken on the line 55 of Figure lot the insideelement.

Figure 6 is. a cross section taken on the line 66 of Figure-30f theoutside element.

6 Claims. (Cl. 104265) Figure 7 is a cross section taken on the line l'!of Figure 1.

Figure 8 is a cross section taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 3.

Figure 9 is a section taken on the line 9-9 of Figure 3.

Figure 10 is a section taken on the line Illlil of Figure 1.

Figure 11 is a section taken on the line llli of Figurel, and

Figure 12' is a section taken on the line l2l2 of Figure 3.

The rerailer is comprised of two principal memhere, the inside: rerailerelement 2 shown in Figures *1, 2, 5, 7, 10 and 11, and an outsidererailerelement illustrated in Figures 3, 4, 6, 8, 9 and 12.

Referring now to the inside rerailer element 2, it will be noted thatthis element is comprised as a hollow shell generally rectangular inplan and provided with an upper tread car wheel engaging surface 6 whichslopes upwardly from each end to a rounded'central portion 8.

The surface 6 is provided with a guide ridge or edge II), which, as seenin Figure 1, is bowed from end to end toward the longitudinal center ofthe surface 6. The surface 6 is also provided with two raised portionsI2 and M which, however, do not extend to the center portion 8. Thetransverse cross section of the element 2 thus progressively variesconsiderably. Specific sections, taken through diiferent transverseplanes, are illustrated in Figures 5, 7, 10 and 11.

The element 2 is provided with an integral laterally'extendingbridge [6which is adapted (see Figure 5) to overlie the track rail I8 so that theside 20 of the element 2 will abut against the inner surface of the headof the rail 18 with the lower edge of the side 20 bearing on the uppersurface of the base of the rail on one side of the rail web and with thelower edge of the side 22 of the bridge I6 bearing on the base of therail on the other side of the web. The surface 6 at the center adjacentthe bridge I6 is provided with a ridge l5 (see Figure 5) to prevent theflange of the car wheel from sliding over on the bridge.

The element 2 is also provided with a plurality of integralstrengthening webs 24, 26, 28, 30; 32-, .34 and 36. Still further,handles 38, 40, cast into the device, are provided to facilitate pickingup the rerailer.

The side 42 of the inside element 2 is bowed inwardly, principally tosave weight and the lower edge is provided with a horizontal flange 44;The

base of the element 2 may be provided with. a.

with Figures 5, '7, 10 and 11. The outside element 4 (see Figure 3) isprovided on its upper car wheel engaging surface 48 with a bowed outeredge 50 which runs from end to end and also with a pair of raisedportions 52, 54, extending inwardly from the ends of the element 4towards the center thereof but terminating short of the center adjacentthe bridge 56. At the point of termination or meeting of these raisedportions, the upper surface is disposed above the plane of the uppersurface of the bridge (see Figure 6) a sufiicient distance so that theflange of the car wheel will never ride on the bridge.

The bridge 56 is similar to bridge [6 of the inside rerailer element 2and likewise the lower edge of the side 58 of element 4 and the loweredge of the side 60 of the bridge 56 (Figure 6) both bear on theuppersurface of the rail 62.

Similarly to the inside rerailer element 2, the outside rerailer element4 is provided with interior strengthening ribs 64, 66, 68, 10, 12, 14and 16, lifting handles 18 and 80, and the base is provided with severaldownwardly projecting prongs 82.

Advantageously, both the inside and outside rerailer elements 2 and 4,respectively, may be of cast steel, heat treated to a Brinell hardnessof 2'75 to 325. The top surfaces of the rerailer elements should, ofcourse, be smooth surfaced. Holes may be left in casting such as at 84,86, 88 in Figure 2 and 84', 86, 88' in Figure 4. The two smaller holesare used for hanging the rerailer on an engine and the larger hole isfor insertion of a bar to help in carrying the rerailer.

In operation the inside rerailer element 2 (Figure 1) is placed betweenthe two rails of the track with the side 20 adjacent one of the railsand the bridge [6 over that rail as shown in Figure 5. The outsidererailer element (Figure 3) is placed directly opposite on the outsideof the other rail with the side 58 adjacent the far side of the railwith the bridge 55 spanning the rail in the manner shown in'Figure 6.

It will be understood, ofcourse, that the rerailer'elements 2 and 4 areplaced in the path of the derailed car wheels so that as the car ismoved longitudinally the car wheels will ride up on the upper treadsurfaces of the rerailer elements. As they do so, the flange of carwheel on the inside rerailer element 2 will be guided between the ridgel0 and either of the raised portions I2 or l4, and because of thetransverse contour of surface 6 (see Figures 11, 10, 7 and 5, in theorder named), the car wheel will slide transversely toward the rail.When the ear wheel passes the center of the rerailer element 2, it movesonto the rail itself without bearing on the bridge.

As the corresponding derailed car wheel forthe other rail approaches theoutside rerailer element 4 (Fig. 3) ,the tread surface of the wheelfirst engases the surface 52 or 54 of the rerailer element surfaceacting as a guide. The wheel, as it advances up the rerailer, continuesto roll on the surface 52 to a point between the section lines 8-8 and9-9 where the outer edge of the wheel engages the inclined surface 48.As is seen in considering Figs. 12, 9, 8, and 6, in the order named, thesurface 48 is gradually increased in elevation toward the median line6-6 of the rerailer element 4. It will also be seen that the surface 48becomes greater in slope toward the rail between the indicated point ofcontact with the wheel and the median line 66 of the outside rerailerelement. Hence, as the Wheel continues to roll toward the summit of thererailer, the entire weight of the car is carried by that portion of thewheel tread which engages the surface 48. At the point the wheel reachesthe median of the rerailer element the wheel is shifted laterally towardthe right as seen in Fig. 6 until the tread surface becomes supported onthe rerailer in vertical alignment with the rail. This lateral shiftingis aided in a considerable degree by the operation of the insidererailer which tends to assist the lateral movement of the wheel as thewheel approaches and reaches the summit of the rerailer.

It will be noted that at no time during operation of the device do thecar wheels bear upon the bridges l2 or 56. The contours of the surfacesof the rerailer elements are especially designed to avoid this. At thesame time the bridges themselves, since they span the rails, and sincetheir lower edges bear directly on the bases of the rails (Figures 5 and6), thus prevent the rerailer elements from tipping or from pulling awayfrom the rails. This avoids the most serious of the drawbacks inrerailers heretofore known.

I claim:

1. A rerailer consisting of a pair of elements for location respectivelyadjacent the inner and outer sides of opposite rails, both of saidelements being formed with a tread surface, inclined upwardly from theextremities to the center, the transverse contour of tread surfaces ofsaid elements at the center inclining generally downwardly toward theplane of the rail, the vertical side of each element disposed adjacentthe rail having its lower edge bearing on one of the upper surfaces ofthe base of the rail, and an integral bridge member extending laterallyfrom the center of each element and over the rail head, the outer sideof each bridge member having its lower edge bearing on the other uppersurface of the base of the rail, the edge of the tread surface of saidinner element farthest from the rail bowing laterally toward the rail,said tread surface on its other edge adjacent the rail having a pair ofraised guide portions extending upwardly in a longitudinal directiontowards but terminating short of the center portion of the element, araised ridge on the tread surface of said element at the center thereofand adjacent the bridge thereof to prevent the flange of a car wheelfrom bearing on said bridge.

2. A rerailer consisting of a pair of elements for location respectivelyadjacent the inner and outer sides of opposite rails, both of saidelements being formed with a tread surface inclined upwardly from theextremities to the center, the transverse contour of tread surfaces ofsaid elements at the center inclining generally downwardly toward theplane of the rail, the vertical side of each element disposed adjacentthe rail having its lower edge bearing on one of the upper surfaces ofthe base of the rail, and an integral bridge member extending laterallyfrom the center of each element and over the rail head, the outer sideof each bridge member having its lower edge bearing on the other uppersurface of the base of the rail, the edge of the tread surface of saidinner element farthest from the rail bowing laterally toward the rail,said tread surface on its other edge adjacent the rail having a pair ofraised guide portions extending upwardly in a longitudinal directiontowards but terminating short of the center portion of the element, araised ridge on the tread surface of said element at the center thereofand adjacent the bridge thereof to prevent the flange of a car wheelfrom bearing on said bridge, the upper surface of said outer elementhaving a pair of raised ridge portions extending upwardly in alongitudinal direction toward the center portion of said outer element,said last named pair of raised ridge portions converging toward the railand terminating adjacent the bridge of said outer element in a planedisposed above the plane of the upper surface of the bridge a distancegreater than the depth of the flange on a car wheel, whereby the carwheel will not bear directly on the bridge at any time.

3. An inside rerailer element for location adjacent the inner side of arail, said element being formed with a tread surface inclined upwardlyfrom the extremities to the center, the transverse contour of said treadsurface at the center inclining downwardly toward the rail, the edge ofthe tread surface farthest from the rail bowing laterally towards therail, said tread surface on its other edge adjacent the rail havingraised guide portions extending upwardly in a longitudinal directiontowards but terminating short of the center portion of the element, theside of the element adjacent the rail having its lower edge bearing onone of the upper surfaces of the base of the rail, an integral bridgemember extending laterally from the center portion of the element andover the rail head, the outer side of said bridge having its lower edgebearing on the other upper surface of the base of the rail.

4. An inside rerailer element for location adjacent the inner side of arail, said element being formed with a tread surface inclined upwardlyfrom the extremities to the center, the transverse contour of said treadsurface at the center inclining downwardly toward the rail, the edge ofthe tread surface farthest from the rail bowing laterally towards therail, said tread surface on its other edge adjacent the rail havingraised guide portions extending upwardly in a longitudinal directiontowards but terminating short of the center portion of the element, theside of the element adjacent the rail having its lower edge bearing onone of the upper surfaces of the base of the rail, an integral bridgemember extending laterally from the center portion of the element andover the rail head, the outer side of said bridge having its lower edgebearing on the other upper surface of the base of the rail, and a raisedridge on the tread surface of said element at the center thereofadjacent the bridge to prevent the flange of a car wheel from bearing onsaid bridge.

5. An outside rerailer element for location adjacent the outer side of arail, said element being formed with a tread surface inclined upwardlyfrom the extremities to the center, the transverse contour of said treadsurface at the center inclining downwardly toward the rail, the uppersurface of said element having a pair of raised portions extendingupwardly in a longitudinal direction towards the center portion of saidelement, the side of the element adjacent the rail having its lower edgebearing on one of the upper surfaces of the base of the rail, a bridgemember extending laterally from the center portion of the element andover the rail head, the outer side of said bridge having its lower edgebearing on the other upper surface of the base of the rail, said pair ofraised portions converging toward the rail and terminating adjacent thebridge in a plane disposed above the plane of the upper surface of thebridge a distance greater than the depth of the flange on a car wheel,whereby the car wheel will not bear directly on the bridge at any time.

6. A rerailer as defined in claim 1, said elements being comprised ofhollow steel cast members provided, with interior transversely disposedreinforcing webs.

CHARLES H. NORDBERG.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 914,070 Pluard March 2, 19091,389,383 Rivard Aug. 30, 1921 1,246,062 Cuthbert Nov. 13, 1917 784,647Wise Mar. 14, 1905 1,827,220 Bryant Oct. 13, 1903 724,277 Fowler Mar.31, 1903 686,241 Alexander Nov. 12, 1901

